Sitcoms that did good in their original run, but bad in syndication?

[Impressions]

What were some sitcoms that were successful in their original run, but when they were re-ran in syndication their ratings sloped?

[barwars]

Most dramas

[Impressions]

Originally posted by barwars
Most dramas

What about sitcoms?

[Adamantium]

Well, I've heard "Murphy Brown". I guess we'll find out when it comes to N@N.

It seems like "Maude." I mean, it had a successful run, yet it's hardly ever in reruns anymore.

[Dean Winchester]

"bad" is objective. A lot of shows have done good in their own right in syndication, but yet weren't massively successful like M*A*S*H, Seinfeld, or The Andy Griffith Show.

People say Murphy Brown was a flop in syndication, but yet I can remember it's reruns lasting about 8 years here (1992 to 2000 or 2001).

[James]

I'd have to say The Wonder Years. Down here in SW Ohio it was gone from syndication in September 1995, when Dayton's Fox affiliate WRGT 45 put Tempest in its place. I remember that this happened just after WRGT started another cycle of the episodes, and the last one that aired was the tenth episode, "Steady As She Goes". Fortunately Tempest was gone the next year. Unfortunately WRGT did not put TWY back on its schedule, and still has not done so. :crying:

I have heard that TWY was still running in syndication in southern Wisconsin from a friend that used to live there (Madison or Rockford markets) back in August 1997.

[snl75]

this is strange but cosby didnt do all that well in reruns when it hit the rerun market in 1988 but it seemes to have made a small comeback in recent years and for the person who said andy griffth wasant a sucess when it aired in the 60s it actually made the top 10 or 15 every season it was on and when it ended in 68. it was number 1.

[jamesanthony]

I agree about Murphy Brown and Maude. Murphy really died out in reruns shortly after it ended its prime time run, which is odd because it ran 10 years in primetime. I think the politics depicted in it have made it dated. That might be the same problem with Maude.

What about Evening Shade and Blossom? I haven't heard of either of those shows drawing much attention. Also Dear John and Major Dad seem to have been almost completely forgotten.

As for the comment about dramas it is only relatively recently that hourlong dramas have not really drawn all that much attention in local area syndication. I remember all kinds of dramas from Hill St Blues to Matlock airing at all hours of the day up to the mid90s. Now dramas are more likely to be reran on cable. I think one of the issues with dramas in local reruns is that a lot of them have continuing storylines that if you saw them in primetime aren't as suspenseful to see in reruns. Most sitcoms have continuing storylines now as well, but I think that the humor component makes the individual episodes stand alone better. Plus local programmers find it easier to schedule 1/2 hr series.

[slackermonkey]

I remember "Dear John!" I haven't heard about that show in years.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
What about Evening Shade and Blossom? I haven't heard of either of those shows drawing much attention. Also Dear John and Major Dad seem to have been almost completely forgotten.

Evening Shade and Major Dad went exclusively to cable (Family Channel and USA) respectively when the time came for syndication. So those shows bypassed the locals

[Riff]

"Murphy Brown" is the most notorious example. It was a disaster the second it entered syndication -- and this was when it was still a major hit in first-run on CBS.

"Just Shoot Me" is currently croaking.

There used to be some industry term for "Evening Shade's" lack of off-net interest, but I forget what it was. And the people who coined it forgot that MTM singlehandedly destroyed its chances by asking for too much from locals. They also yanked it away from the locals at the last minute (after it already been bought by them), and then sold it to the Family Channel at, I think, a bargain basement price. And then Jeff Sagansky cancelled it.

Now, how on earth "Will & Grace" isn't sloping is what I want to know. It's a bunch of pop culture references masquerading as jokes!

[tvfan0101]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Evening Shade and Major Dad went exclusively to cable (Family Channel and USA) respectively when the time came for syndication. So those shows bypassed the locals

Indeed. I used to watch Major Dad on USA whenever I had a chance. Which was not often.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Riff
"Murphy Brown" is the most notorious example. It was a disaster the second it entered syndication -- and this was when it was still a major hit in first-run on CBS.

Murphy Brown lasted around 8 years in syndication here. Granted, it's no Seinfeld, but I don't see how it was a flop in any shape or form. 8 years is a lot longer than a lot of shows in syndication.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Riff
Now, how on earth "Will & Grace" isn't sloping is what I want to know. It's a bunch of pop culture references masquerading as jokes!

isn't that the case with a lot of the animation shows (not a slam to them, I love pop culture references)? I don't think a Simpsons or Family Guy episode has been made without at least 10 of them in one show.

Plus, why are you so negative to the shows you dislike, because 1. you dislike a show and 2. it doesn't score American Idol-sized ratings doesn't mean 3. the show is garbage. There's a lot of great shows that didn't win over middle America.

[snl75]

i like will and grace .and like you said buffy slayer 79 there are alot of shows that you or i dont like that still do well in reruns if people dont like a show they dont have to watch it i myself dont like home improvement or the drew carey show but i just turn the channel when they come on

[Dragonflies]

I read Mad About You hasn't done that well on Lifetime.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Murphy Brown lasted around 8 years in syndication here. Granted, it's no Seinfeld, but I don't see how it was a flop in any shape or form. 8 years is a lot longer than a lot of shows in syndication.

Murphy Brown ran in syndication for quite a while, but once it left primetime it seemed to die out in syndication. In my area it disappeared after 1999, the show left CBS in 1998. It's not like Seinfeld which is still very very popular although it ended 6 seasons ago.

Just Shoot Me seems to be doing well in my area; it's on 2 different local stations daily. Will and Grace is on 3x a day in my area.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Angela Micelli
I read Mad About You hasn't done that well on Lifetime.

actually, Lifetime nixed Ellen back in March or so, so they could put a whole hour of MAY at night instead of one episode.

[Dragonflies]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
actually, Lifetime nixed Ellen back in March or so, so they could put a whole hour of MAY at night instead of one episode.

Really? I thought I remembered Pav saying awhile back that MAY didn't do well on Lifetime. :confused:

I could be thinking of something else too

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Angela Micelli
Really? I thought I remembered Pav saying awhile back that MAY didn't do well on Lifetime. :confused:

I could be thinking of something else too

probably Laverne and Shirley, Lifetime didn't keep that for 2 months even

[AKA]

My CBS affiliate bought the local syndication rights to Murphy Brown and began airing it in the 6:30 pm timeslot in September, 1992. By 1994, it was relegated to 2 am purgatory, and replaced by The Simpsons.

[Riff]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Murphy Brown ran in syndication for quite a while, but once it left primetime it seemed to die out in syndication. In my area it disappeared after 1999, the show left CBS in 1998.

Like I said, the show was an instant flop in national syndication, and most affiliates washed their hands of it after one cycle, after shunting it to late-night time slots. WPIX was one of the few who bought library rights for a second cycle. I take it it did better in NYC than it did elsewhere. And Lifetime ran it for something like three months before they yanked it off the air for good.

Just Shoot Me seems to be doing well in my area; it's on 2 different local stations daily.

Not even managing a 1.0 rating nationally anymore. Syndie ratings are down something like 30 or 40% from last year. Even "The Parkers" is doing better. It's one-cycle for sure. And, yes, it's on two different local stations in NYC (both of which are owned by FOX), so it could be another "Murphy Brown."

[snl75]

im really not a fan of murphy brown but im surpised it did that badly in reruns i thought the staitons that bought it would make at least some money on it if not alot i thougt they would at least break even its really bad when even lifetime cable cant make a profit on it i wonder how the dvds will do

[James]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
probably Laverne and Shirley, Lifetime didn't keep that for 2 months even

Actually, they started airing it March 8 and last aired it October 29, BuffySlayer79. So that's over seven months, a few days shy of eight. They should have kept it on; I missed the second part of "Death Row" (where Laverne robbed a bank; it guest starred Larraine Newman--any relation to Randy?) from the final season!

[James]

Originally posted by Riff
There used to be some industry term for "Evening Shade's" lack of off-net interest, but I forget what it was. And the people who coined it forgot that MTM singlehandedly destroyed its chances by asking for too much from locals. They also yanked it away from the locals at the last minute (after it already been bought by them), and then sold it to the Family Channel at, I think, a bargain basement price. And then Jeff Sagansky cancelled it.

What did they yank away from the locals at the last minute, Riff--Evening Shade or The Mary Tyler Moore Show? I was thrown by your statement about MTM being sold to the Family Channel since MTM was canceled in 1977 by CBS. Did Jeff Sagansky (who did work with CBS IIRC) do this 1977 canceling? I'm confused here. :confused:

[Riff]

Originally posted by James
Originally posted by Riff
There used to be some industry term for "Evening Shade's" lack of off-net interest, but I forget what it was. And the people who coined it forgot that MTM singlehandedly destroyed its chances by asking for too much from locals. They also yanked it away from the locals at the last minute (after it already been bought by them), and then sold it to the Family Channel at, I think, a bargain basement price. And then Jeff Sagansky cancelled it.

What did they yank away from the locals at the last minute, Riff--Evening Shade or The Mary Tyler Moore Show? I was thrown by your statement about MTM being sold to the Family Channel since MTM was canceled in 1977 by CBS. Did Jeff Sagansky (who did work with CBS IIRC) do this 1977 canceling? I'm confused here. :confused:

MTM Enterprises, the production company. Not MTM, the show.

There was an even a lawsuit in regards to the Family Channel sale...

http://www.eonline.com/News/Court/0497.mozark.html

Sagansky cancelled it right before he left the network. IIRC, everybody working on it was stunned. They were expecting it would be renewed for a fifth season.